BMW has already admitted plans to developing an X6 SUV crossover type vehicle which adopts the 4-door fastback coupe design first seen in the Mercedes CLS-Class. Now, BMW takes us by surprise by unveiling at the Shanghai motor show the CS Concept which is exactly as described, but without the SUV part. More akin to the Aston Martin Rapide or Porsche Panamera, this latest creation from BMW Director of Design Chris Bangle shows his latest version of the much criticized yet highly copied design technique called flame surfacing.

The CS Concept looks amazing from all angles except the front. The bonnet front lip rolled into the over sized kidney grille combined with the flame surfaced front fascia evoke images of a pampered middle aged woman who's had too much plastic surgery. With the potential of being an 8 Series successor, hopefully BMW will be more traditional with the front end.

Autoweek.com reports that an M version would receive a 6.0 liter V12 based off the engineering principles of the M5's V10, just with an addition two cylinders. The most recent example of this theory is the M3 V8 engine but minus two cylinders.

BMW surprised everyone with their Shanghai antics today. Showing that they can play the four-door coupe game as well as Mercedes, Aston and Porsche, the Bavarians unveiled their Concept CS. Expected to become BMW's new flagship model (8-series, perhaps?), the CS is believed to be almost production-ready. It sits on the newest 7-series platform under development, extending the length and width of the current 7 by a couple of inches, while dropping the roofl by a good five inches. it measures in at 200.8 inches long, 78 inches wide, and just 53.5-inches high. Even with the extra acreage, the CS is a four-seater only, with two sculpted seats in back.

Mercedes-Benz started this sport sedan/4-door coupe craze with its CLS, but this will be a larger, and likely more expensive, vehicle along the lines of the upcoming Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide. This Concept CS also shows us where the next iteration of BMW design is headed. Although his previous designs have been met with mixed reactions, designer Chris Bangle continues to use "flame surfacing" for complex curves that wouldn't have been possible with old manufacturing techniques. The CS feels like an evolution of that philosophy with sharper edges and swoopier surfaces all around. Underhood we'll find a 6.0-liter V12, which is essentially the M5 5.0-liter V10 with two extra cylinders. That's a nice modular motor for BMW if that ends up being the case, with 10-cylinder, 12-cylinder, and V8 versions used across the Motorsport models.

BMW's massive press release is pasted after the jump.

[Source: BMW via the Motor Trend Blog]

NEW 860I? It looks like it was derived from the Z8 if you look at the concept idea.. lol.. This might probably try to compete with Aston Martin Rapid and Mercades CL550.

The CS is envisioned as a range-topping four-door with coupe styling, sharing underpinnings with the next-generation 7 Series. The exterior dimensions are impressive—and large. The low-slung body stretches 200.8 inches long and a huge 78 inches wide, but is a scant 53.5 inches high. For comparison, the current 7 Series is smaller than this beast: 198.4 inches long, 58.7 inches high and 74.9 inches wide. Even with its increased length and width, the seating capacity in the CS—and the production four-door coupe it will spawn—drops to four.

Our sources in Shanghai report the CS seeks to bridge the gap between the 7 Series and Rolls-Royce, as well as fend off the upcoming Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide, and provide an answer to the high-end version of the Mercedes-Benz CLS—the car that started the four-door coupe craze. Equally important, it foreshadows the direction of BMW design.

The styling of the concept is a natural progression of the initially derided and now much copied “flamed surfacing” treatment initiated by American designer Chris Bangle. This car continues to carry concave body panels, but adds ever-sharpening creases at its flanks and rear; note the exaggerated hip line that helps to show both length and stance for the car. From behind, the edginess—and futuristic look—of this design is apparent. The Concept CS’s style shows a kind of toughness that buyers of the production car can only hope it will emulate. Huge 21-inch wheels hint at the performance potential and exaggerated rear fenders remind you of BMW’s rear-drive philosophy.

BMW no doubt will offer an M variant. Power for the highest performance model should be a 6.0-liter V12, which will essentially add two cylinders to the 5.0-liter V10 in the M5; the likelihood is that everything that wears an M badge will use a configuration of that engine. As example, the next M3 cuts off a pair of cylinders to have a 4.0-liter V8.

Choosing Shanghai to showcase its new design direction may seem odd for the German company—especially with the Frankfurt auto show looming this fall—but chairman Norbert Reithofer made it clear that Asia is growing in importance to BMW. Last year, the Munich-based automaker sold 45,000 cars in China with 8669 of those being the company’s flagship 7 Series. Only the United States, at about 18,000 cars, consumes more of the big sedans. Also, in conjunction with its Chinese partner, Brilliance, BMW manufactures a stretched version of its 5 Series in China, the only market in which that car is sold.

“You don’t have to look at the impressive skyline of Pudong [Shanghai] to understand that Chinese mainland with is high growth rates is on its way to becoming one of the world’s most important automotive markets,” Reithofer said.

“Over the last five years, the BMW brand alone has risen by more than 750 percent in Chinese mainland. No other major premium brand achieves such dynamic growth rates in this market,” he added. Reithofer said the company’s goal is to sell 150,000 cars in Asia next year. The United States, with sales of more than 273,000 cars, is the largest BMW market, with Germany a close second.

Reithofer and BMW designer Adrian van Hooydonk stressed that the Concept CS is just that, a concept. But van Hooydonk said everything on the big car could be translated to production, meaning the low-slung shark nose front end especially could meet all pedestrian safety standards.

“This is a purpose-built car, but it shows where the brand could possibly go,” van Hooydonk said. “Pedestrian safety standards will not impact our brand identity.”
More pics in the link.

It's always interesting to see these concepts, because once put into production, those ideas often trickle down into the 3-series.

+1

I like that belt line. I can see that making for a real exciting 3. Like the new A5, its is a departure from the mostly flat beltlines of this decade (and last decade too). I think this is going to be one of those things that permeates through all types of cars in the next ten years, from compact economy cars to sports cars, to luxury cruisers. You already see it coming back on other cars like the Dodge Avenger and Guigiaro Mustang (and yes that's where the comparison ends between those cars and this BMW CS).

And if that V12 is real then that could pave the way for a V10 powered M3 in the next generation or thereafter. That would make sense since the upcoming generations of the turbo I6 are going to keep the M Division's hands full in trying to keep the S65 V8 at the front of the pack. Although HPI and camless valvetrain could allow them to keep the high revving around for another generation.

__________________

A gen-u-ine BMW eff-eight-zero with them tandem clutches in the transmission and that dad gum sun roof on the top-a da cawr.